The Details

The friendly monks of Chaiya Meditation Monastery need your help. They need you to eat delicious Thai food, because their rent is due. You can help with that, can’t you?

Hidden away near the intersection of Rainbow and Windmill, Chaiya hosts a monthly outdoor food festival in its parking lot with selections that range from traditional Thai standards—pork and chicken satay (skewers), pad Thai and spicy papaya salad—to more unusual options such as roti (addictive Thai crepes wrapped around a slather of condensed milk) and tod mun goong (fried shrimp cakes). All are house-made by volunteers, with prices running $1-$5 per dish. Trust me when I say you’re going to need at least $10 in skewers.

Be sure to get there early, since the good stuff runs out quickly, and dress appropriately for shaded open-air seating. The monks didn’t have the time to build you a shanty; they’re too busy paying the bills.